Hoang Lien National Park re-opens, limits tourist number

The Hoang Lien National Park in the northwestern province of Lao Cai was re-opened to visitors on April 1 after a temporary close from January 1 due to high risk of fire.
The park’s director Nguyen Quang Vinh said however, visitors will be allowed to travel on only two routes, the Suoi Vang-Tinh Yeu Fall and the hiking track from Tram Ton to the peak of Fansipan Mountain.
The number of visitors is limited to 20 per group on the Suoi Vang-Tinh Yeu tour, while a maximum of 100 climbers can climb the Fansipan each day.
The 3,143m Fansipan is located at the heart of Hoang Lien National Park. It is the highest in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and dubbed the “Roof of Indochina”.
Over the past three months, several major fires broke out in the park, destroying hundreds of hectares of natural forest
Hoang Lien National Park covers the communes of San Sa Ho, Lao Chai, Ta Van and Ban Ho in Sa Pa District, as well as part of Than Uyen District in Lai Chau Province.
The 30,000-ha park was recognised by the ASEAN Secretariat as a regional heritage site in 2006.
It also includes a buffer zone of 38,724ha bordering some communes in the three districts of Van Ban, Than Uyen and Phong Tho in Lai Chau Province.